YOUR CART

It took a long time and plenty of proverbial blood, sweat, and tears, but you finally managed to get sober. You should feel proud of yourself, as that’s no small accomplishment. Even though you likely had help from family and professionals, it’s still your doing.

That’s why you need to start exercising. It took a lot to get back in control of your life, so you should be concerned with relapsing. And believe it or not, getting physically fit can improve your mental health and help you stay sober. Read on to learn how, including what kinds of exercise will help you the most.How Fitness Helps Your Mental HealthPeople typically think of their body and mind as two separate things. However, the two are very interconnected. For example, if you are stressed and filled with anxiety, your immune system works poorly and you get sick more often.

That’s why being physically fit can help you stay sober. In fact, the Huffington Post lists several mental health benefits of exercise, such as:

Reduced stress and tension that can lead to relapses.

Increased levels of endorphins that act fight depression.

Being more fit means you have more self-esteem and less need for substances.

In other words, you won’t need to abuse substances because you’ll be happier. Exercising regularly can help ease that pain but in a healthy way.More Than Just Working OutIf getting fit helps you stay happy and sober, should you hit the gym today? That’s not a bad idea, but exercise is more than just lifting weights. Health.com explains some of the best exercises for people in addiction recovery:

Running is great exercise, and it has been shown to release “feel good” neurotransmitters to boost your mental health.

Modern Americans often miss out on nature, so taking a hike in the woods can do wonders.

Of course, weight lifting is a great way to boost your self-esteem and improve your overall health.

Yoga is a great low-impact exercise for people of any age. It stretches the muscles, builds strength, and leads to more control over stress and anxiety.

Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise out there, so try to hit a pool in your hometown as often as you can.

Meditation might not sound like exercise, but if the point is to improve your mental health so you can better fight addiction, it’s hard to beat meditation. You can also combine this with yoga.

Developing A Healthy Routine At HomeAs you begin to exercise more regularly, it helps to build a routine at home. While you don’t have to exercise exactly the same time every day of the week, building a routine will help you remember to exercise and support your addiction recovery.

As Lifehacker notes, you probably have a routine of sorts already. You just need to upgrade it somewhat:

Exercising will help you sleep better, so plan on getting up at a regular time. But you also have to go to sleep early enough to get the right amount.

Never skip breakfast, and make sure it’s not overloaded with carbohydrates.

Organize your workday so you can predict your day well and avoid having one of those overly cluttered desks.

Of course, you’ll have to create a daily routine that works for you specifically. To do this, start your day by listing the things you need to get done. Ask yourself what tasks need to get done to get to work, be productive, stay sober, and so on. Then create a timetable that includes exercise you need to boost your mental health.

Exercise For SobrietyIt’s not like getting fit will magically keep you sober forever. You still need to make smart choices about places you visit, who you count as friends, and so on. But building a daily routine that includes exercise can boost your mental health so you are stronger and can more easily stay sober.